Air India orders 30 single-aisle aircraft from Boeing
Hyderabad (PTI): Air India on Thursday announced an order to purchase 30 additional Boeing aircraft, comprising 20 737-8 and 10 737-10 jets.
These 30 single-aisle aircraft are in addition to the firm orders for 220 aircraft that Air India had placed with Boeing in 2023, taking the total number of aircraft orders with Boeing to 250, the carrier said in a press release.
The announcement was made at Wings India 2026 in the presence of Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu.
With the latest order, Air India will have a total of 198 new aircraft incoming from Boeing.
So far, the airline has received 52 aircraft from the original 220 ordered in 2023, including 51 737-8 jets currently in service with its subsidiary, Air India Express, and one brand-new 787-9, which will enter commercial service on the Mumbai–Frankfurt route from February 1, 2026, it said.
Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India, said the additional order for 30 Boeing 737 aircraft is part of the airline’s broader fleet strategy to position itself as a world-class global carrier.
"Building on our 2023 orders and subsequent additions, this order supports steady deliveries and fleet upgrades planned over the next few years," he said.
Paul Righi, Boeing Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing for Eurasia, India and South Asia, said, "Air India’s order for more 737 MAX jets underscores the strong performance of their existing 737-8 fleet as they continue to expand connectivity across India and the South Asia region."
"We value Air India’s confidence in the 737-10 and 737-8 to provide the capacity and versatility they need as a cornerstone of their single-aisle growth strategy," he added.
Powered by CFM LEAP-1B engines, the Boeing 737 offers exceptional fuel efficiency, passenger comfort, and operational reliability for robust single-aisle operations.
Since its privatisation in January 2022, the Air India group has added nearly 170 aircraft to its fleet through a combination of new deliveries, strategic leases, the merger with erstwhile Vistara, and the reactivation of long-grounded aircraft, marking significant progress in capacity expansion and fleet modernisation, the release added.
Begumpet Airport is hosting Wings India 2026, Asia’s largest biennial civil aviation event, running until January 31.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
